1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to DNA coding for antigen proteins of the rinderpest virus, a process for the production of that DNA, and a process for the production of the antigen protein using that DNA.
2. Description of the Related Art
Rinderpest is often prevalent in many areas of the world, such as the Middle and Near East, and Africa etc., and therefore, there is intensive research into the development of vaccines for the rinderpest virus.
In the development of vaccines through genetic engineering, processes wherein a gene coding for an antigen protein of the vaccine is expressed in E. coli, yeast or animal cells to obtain the antigen protein, and processes wherein a gene coding for an antigen protein is integrated into a vaccinea virus to construct a recombinant virus for the production of a live vaccine are known. To carry out such processes, a gene coding for an antigen protein of the rinderpest virus must be cloned.
A rinderpest virus strain L that can be grown in Vero cells has been constructed (F. Kobune et al., Archives of Viroloqy, 68, 271-277, 1981). Also, a rinderpest virus strain L (L 13) that can be grown in Vero cells has been developed (J. Gen. Virol. 67, 271, 1986).
The cloning of a cDNA coding for an F protein of the canine distemper virus has been disclosed by S. E. H. Russell, J. Gen. Virol. 66, 435-441, 1985.
Nevertheless, a gene coding for an antigen protein of the rinderpest virus has not yet been cloned.